Drafters, All Other pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $95,660 or more. The middle half of other drafters in Chicago earn between $48,790 and $79,420.
- $48K10th
- $49K25th
- $53KMedian
- $79K75th
- $96K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,890 | $5,408 | $31.20 |
| Median | $53,300 | $4,442 | $25.62 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,790 | $4,066 | $23.46 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,420 | $6,618 | $38.18 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Drafters, All Other salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $64,890, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $51,248 a year, or $4,271 a month and $1,971 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $52,402 | $4,367 |
| Working in IL | $51,248 | $4,271 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for other drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $64,890 buys what about $62,638 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Drafters, All Other salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$82,450
- Grand Rapids, MI$76,360
- Davenport, IA$63,030
- Green Bay, WI$60,490
- Detroit, MI$77,930
- St. Louis, MO$63,250
Highest-paying cities for other drafters
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,260).
- San Jose, CA$91,260
- San Francisco, CA$88,560
- New York, NY$87,900
- Milwaukee, WI$82,450
- Baton Rouge, LA$82,190
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Drafters, All Other salary in Chicago: questions
How much do other drafters make an hour in Chicago?
$31.20 an hour on average, and $25.62 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level other drafters salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the other drafters take-home pay in Chicago?
About $51,248 a year ($4,271 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,890.
Do other drafters earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($69,689).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-3019; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.29, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.29).
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